Diagnosis!

     So that last lab test I had, thyrotropin receptor antibody test, was a send out test and took almost a week for me to get results.  The results came online first.  My TRAb was 2 IU/L (0-1.75).  So this test means I have Graves' disease.  I right away sent a message to my doctor online so we could chat about what this means.  After a couple missed calls and my stupid cell phone dying, he caught me on the phone at work at 5PM that day.  He said that it did look like my hyperthyroidism was caused by Graves' disease.  We discussed treatment options: surgery vs. radioactive iodine (which he didn't mention last time) vs. oral meds.  He said he highly recommended against the radioactive iodine because you don't want to get pregnant 6 months to 1 year after it.  Well that sure wouldn't work.  He said since our biggest goal is to get pregnant, he highly recommended starting on the propylthiouracil (PTU) first, since that's what's safest in the first trimester.  I asked about if the progesterone works, can we try to get pregnant now?  He recommended we wait a couple months until my dosing gets sorted out.  Some people are on a dose up to 600mg daily.  We're starting me out at 150mg daily because I have a 'mild' case.  More waiting :(
     The next adventure was I discovered Target and Walgreens didn't care PTU.  Apparently there is a small supply and not many people take it anymore.  I was able to get it at Walmart (hate that store!), so for now I need to play nice with them :(  Also even the generic costs a lot... so here comes over $50 a month for just meds that I need to take three times daily :(  I need to watch for rare side effects like bone marrow suppression (may start with a sore throat), a weird red rash (which sucks because I have itchy skin issues in winter that look like this already), and jaundice.  Luckily he said I can still indulge in occasional drinking.  Love my wine ;)  It works by blocking synthesis of the T3 and T4.  It may take 3-4 weeks before we see an effect.  I have to recheck my T4 level in 4 weeks.
     So all these things happened on Friday, 3-1-13.  I had finished taking the progesterone on 2-27-13.  My period started on 3-3-13.  Yay!!!  Looks so far like a normal period.  On Monday I called my OB/GYN's office to give them the news.  Now to see if my period returns again in 30-40 days.
     In the last almost 2 weeks I've been working on telling my family and close friends what's happening with me.  Initially it hit me really hard that I wasn't healthy like I thought I was.  I don't want to have a health problem, especially one that prevents me from getting what I want.  (In this case I was ready to get pregnant and I was so perturbed it didn't work, I plan EVERYTHING).  Also needing either a major treatment and/or oral meds potentially lifelong is a big turn off.  But in the end 'it could be worse.'  At least I don't have something like cancer that may not be treatable.  One of my major concerns is if I'll gain a lot of weight.  Hopefully my crazy appetite diminishes appropriately compared to my weight changing.  Yes, I'm vain. :p